Matthew Weiner, who has received international acclaim for developing hit television series Mad Men, will debut his talent on the big screen this summer in his much anticipated film, Are You Here.
Are You Here (formerly titled You Are Here) revolves around two childhood best friends, and explores "the myth of male friendship." Owen Wilson plays a weatherman and notorious bachelor who inherits a farm and re-invents his life. Wilson’s best friend in the film, portrayed by Zach Galifianakis, is a bipolar character who lives in a trailer, according to Variety. The film also stars Amy Poehler and Laura Ramsey.
Weiner worked on the script for nearly a decade before handing it to Owen Wilson, Entertainment Weekly reported. During the 2013 Toronto Film Festival, an in-progress cut was shown alongside Gravity and Twelve Years a Slave. The film was shot in 33 days.
Weiner said his biggest challenge was working with big-name stars. “Everybody liked the script and was on board with that, but you have to earn their trust.” Weiner said. He added that Poehler, Wilson, and Galifianakis all had different working styles, but since they knew the movie was important and "very personal" to him, they got the job done.
When asked how his film compared to Mad Men Weiner said, “This is decidedly less glamorous than Mad Men. It’s definitely contemporary. It’s about what is ugly now and what is beautiful.“
Are You Here will debut in theaters on August 22, 2014.
Photo Credit: INFphoto.com